Well... I kinda tricked you last time... no adventuring yet... but now...
THE ADVENTURING BEGINS!... in a tavern... as always
Naughtbeast
Chapter 7:
Stand in the wake of a battlefield of millions and ask if honour matters… the silence is your answer…
The sole survivor of the battle for the Iron Keep
All the adventurers gathered supplies for the journey ahead. Holg silvered his axe, bought a riding horse and purchased several javelins and, who could forget... a personal battering ram. Adrik decided to keep his money for later purchases while Zwelious chose to decorate his scale-mail with various trinkets and wolf pelts, regaining his past ranger prowess as well as styling his weaponry with dragon script. He then placed a small coat of copper on his blade so he could channel lightning through it. Now however it was now nearing mid-moon and Frath had still not decided on something. He had gone back to his makeshift home in the clock tower.
It had been his father's job to keep it working but ever since he left Frath had kept it running and no-one noticed. He had gone to his rough, sack bed and just sat there looking at the money… it wasn't the most he had ever had but it was how he got it. Never in his whole life had he been GIVEN money… and yet this paladin had trusted him completely.
He just sat there and had fell asleep… never really coming up with a reason why. In the morning he awoke… his body telling him it was about an hour until dawn. If he lived by what he had told himself for his entire life… he would leave with his money and hope to never see that half-orc again… but if he went by his heart he should go along with this guy… the only person to ever trust him…Holg, Adrik and Zwelious were sitting in the Grey Mare inn at daybreak waiting for the thief.
"Why we waitin ere for vat skinny fella, he not comin anyway"
"Yes Holg, why are we waiting here… he is not coming back"
Smiling, Holg only grinned and said "You'll see"
After another five minutes, the dwarf and dragonborn had stood up to leave when Holg stopped them…
"Now, now comrades… our final member has arrived."
They turned to see a man walk in the door. He was clad in sleek leather armour as black as the night. Two large knives were attached to his thighs and a shortbow slung over his back. Not a single piece of his outfit reflected light or made a sound as he entered, his body covered by a black cowl and cape. As he reached the group he pulled back to reveal the face of Frath.
"Well ven… I be eatin me words"
"Hello Frath… well then let's get going since everyone is here…"
Holg stood up and walked began walking out of the door, the two others still not believing what they just saw. They made their way down to the main gates of the city and were greeted by two men. One was large, muscular and had very prominent mutton chops while the other was short, fat and bald. They introduced themselves as Mark and Butch respectively.
They were sitting at the reigns of two large, stallions who were connected to a large cart with a canvas roof. They saddled up, Holg riding his horse and the others in the cart and set off for The Spine of the World. It was an uneventful ride, not really much scenery until they laid eyes upon a town. It appeared to be completely uninhabited as they rode past, there was no defining layout except that there was a large house, which they assumed to be the mayors, at the centre. As they rode past Holg motioned for them to stop.
As they listened they heard a massive scream from the other side of town. Quickly dismounting they sprinted for the source of the sound and what they saw shocked them. Bodies were littered around the streets, bodies ripped to shreds, chunks of meats strewn across the cobblestones, and the smell of blood filled the air with a sickening odour. As Holg glanced at his companions they all took it in with a mix of disgust and fear at whatever had done this… except Frath. He was on the verge of puking as his face was green and he was hunched over, nose covered, trying not to take in all the death.
He was a thief, not a murderer… never sowing the seeds of death and helping people along to the afterlife. He stumbled after the group… hoping this was not what the whole journey because right now… he wanted out. They continued walking around town… occasionally hearing the far off screams of citizens or see faces peering out of windows. They eventually made it to the town square which was surprisingly clear of bodies. They called out and no one answered. They called again until they saw the door of the main building, that was about 200 feet away, open and a man stepped out. He had dark brown hair, green eyes and was wearing what looked to be studded leather armour.
He beckoned them inside with the wave of his arm and they began walking over… that was until another scream was heard, much closer this time. Out of one of the adjoining alleys came a little girl, running for her life, screaming at the top of her lungs. She had long blond hair, blue eyes and was average size. Then they saw why she was screaming. Behind here were three massive dire wolves, all the size of a horse, sprinting full speed after her, closing the distance very fast.
"GENEVIVE!" Came the voice of the man from the house, as he began hobbling towards her, not really going fast while drawing a scimitar. Holg, however, was much closer and stepped in to help. He charged right into the lead wolf and slammed it into the wall, causing the other two pursuing ones to direct their attention towards him.
Zwelious already had his bow out and shot the neck of one of attackers while it jumped towards the paladin. Adrik was now running at the third dire wolf, yelling a battle cry while swinging his hammer overhead. Frath had no idea what to do… he had never killed, never been in a proper fight (apart from the occasional bar fight). Sure he knew how to use a dagger and shortbow… but that was as far as it went. The little girl came running over to him and hid behind his legs, trying to escape the violence, her screaming now turned to a whimper. Holg was pinning the lead wolf against the wall, its jaws biting just inches from his face, while the other had its jaws firmly embedded in his arm, trying to rip it off, a steady trickle of blood pooling on the cobble.
Adrik had made it to the third wolf and kept it distracted as his swings were not fast enough to hit the nimble wolf. The dragonborn was still trying to hit the wolves but didn't fire for the chance of hitting his companions, so instead switched to dual short swords and jumped into the fray.
Frath still had no idea what to do and instead chose to stay back and let his companions take care of it. He looked down at the girl and saw her clutching a small book at her chest and had tears streaming down her face. Ummmm… what do I do? Before he could answer his own question he heard a low growl behind him. He swiftly turned, only to be tackled to the street by another dire wolf. It began snapping at him and was only stopped by his right arm holding it back with ever-draining strength. Genivive was just staring at what was happening.
Fraths left arm still clutched a dagger but had no room to move. He desperately tried to push it off but it took a while until with one colossal use of energy he shoved his dagger right into its left lung, kicking it off as it recoiled. It now stood 5 feet from him, head low and dripping with blood, baring its teeth. It lunged at him and bit his leg, snaring it in its teeth and began pulling. It was the most pain Frath had ever experienced in his life… he felt the bones dislocating as the wolf dragged him along the cobbled street. He stabbed at it but he could not keep it up. He felt the last bits of life draining from his body as everything turned black.
Holg meanwhile had managed to snap the neck of the first wolf and was now trying to kill the second wolf with Zwelious' help. It seemed to have a harder skin as their attacks constantly bounced off. As he cleaved one of its legs off he saw how the team was faring. His left arm was bleeding profusely after the second wolf had decided to use it as a chew toy.
Zwelious had several cuts on his legs but was still hurt, Adrik was bleeding all over the place, practically painting the street with red. When he turned to look for Frath only to see him being dragged away, unconscious, by the leg. He nodded to Zwelious who took his que and caused lightning to erupt from his mouth, engulfing the dire wolf and allowing Holg to run after the thief. As he caught up to the fourth dire wolf he began charging his divine smite and channelled it into his axe, causing it to glow with holy energy.
He smashed into the wolf, continuing through and pinning it against the wall. He however, angled his axe so that the edge was aimed for his neck. As they hit the wall the axe kept going and before the wolf knew it, its head was no longer attached to its body. Holg turned to his companion and knelt down to help him, using his lay on hands to pull him back into consciousness.
The edges of his vision returned. A dark shape was ominously standing over him, joined by two others. Well this is it… dead at the hands… well, paws of these damn dire wolves. As his vision began to focus he saw that these faces were of the companions he went with… Thank the gods. As he looked down he saw that their armour was covered in blood and meat chunks, slowly dripping onto his body. Then he abruptly threw up...
